Siding



B. R. RUGEN Oct. 21, 1941.

SIDING Patented Oct; 21, 1941 SID-IN G Benjamin Ralph Rugen, Ferguson, Mo., assignor to The Rubel-oid C0., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application March 10, 1941, Serial No. 382,501

4 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved siding adapted for use on the sidewalls of a building, or as a re-siding over wood shingles, clapb-oard or other material, to form an outer covering of brick-like appearance, and more particularly to a siding element of this type made of a single piece of asbestos-cement, or the like, of uniform thickness having offset brick-like portions.

The principal objection to this type of siding element is the edges of the brick-like portions tend to cock up when laid and to give the covering an unsightly appearance.

It is an object of this invention to overcome that objection by the provision of a construction that will cause the lower edges of the brick-like portions to press tightly down against the body portion of an underlying element when the siding elements are applied to the wall in overlapping courses and nailed in place.

Further objects are to provide siding elements that can be economically manufactured on a high production basis; that are strong and rigid; that are light in weight; that can be easily applied; and that, when applied, form a covering which closely simulates the appearance of a brick wall.

The invention will appear more fully from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a face view of a siding element embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional View of the siding element;

Fig. 3 is a face view of a portion of a wall covering formed of the siding elements;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, on an enlarged scale; and

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a modified form of the siding element.

The siding elements I0 may be 'cut and formed from sheets of asbestos-cement, or like material, made by the well known Hatschek process, or they may be made by any suitable molding process.

Each element comprises a flat body portion II having downwardly inclined, offset, oblongshaped projections I2 along its lower` edge, which projections are spaced from one another by slots or cut-outs I3. The projections I2 simulate bricks and may be suitably colored or ornamented to enhance the simulation.

The rear ends I4 of the projections I2 are raised slightly above the general plane of the body portion II and are connected to the body portion by integral shoulders I5. These shoulders may be conveniently formed by pressing or molding the asbestos-cement material before it has set. To avoid any abrupt bending or distortion, which might crack the material, I prefer to form obtuse shoulders between the body and the projections.

On reference to the drawing it will be seen that the brick-like projections I2 slant downwardly from their rear ends I4 towards their front ends I6. Preferably, the angle of inclination is such that the front ends I6 will normally lie in a plane slightly below the general plane of the body portion I I, as shown in Fig. 2. With elements of this form a very tight hug is effected, since when they are applied to the wall in the manner shown in Fig. 4, the front ends I6 of the projections I2 will press down tightly against the body portion II of a subjacent element.

The provision of the downwardly inclined offset projections I2 is an essential and 'characteristic feature of the present invention. However, the degree of slant or inclination of the projections rnay be varied. In Fig. 5 is shown a modied form of the element in which the lower ends I6 of the inclined offset projections lie substantially in the general plane of the body portion.

Each element is secured to the wall or other surface by a plurality of nails I1 so positioned that the nail heads wil be covered by the projections I2 of an overlying element. For convenience of application the elements may be provided with preformed nailing holes.

In application, the lower Yends of the projections of each element are spaced upward from the shoulders of the next lower element a distance to simulate the usual depressed mortar lines or joints of a brick wall. While the elements are substantially rigid, still sufficient flexibility is afforded, particularly because of the shoulders I5, to permit of any slight deformation of the angle of the inclined projections which may occur in nailing the elements in place. By reason of the combined effect of the inclined offset projections I2 and the leverage afforded by the nailing, the lower edges of the projections will press down firmly against the subjacent element and thus overcome any tendency to cock up.

Various modications may be made herein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

What I claim is:

1. A siding element of asbestos-cement or like material comprising a substantially flat body portion having a plurality of upwardly oiset and downwardly inclined projections of brick-like.

form spaced apart along its lower edge, the lower surface of said projections being non-parallel with the lower surface of the body portion.

2. A siding element of asbestos-cement or like material comprising a substantially flat body portion having a plurality of downwardly inclined projections of brick-like form spaced apart along its lower edge, the rear ends of said projections being elevated slightly above the general plane of the body portion and the front ends thereof lying in or slightly below said plane, the lower surface of said projections being non-parallel with the lower surface of the body portion.

3. A siding element of asbestos-cement or like material comprising a substantially flat 'body portion having a plurality of downwardly inclined projections of brick-like form spaced apart along its lower edge and connected thereto by an integral shoulder portion, the rear ends of said projections being elevated slightly above the general plane of the body portion and the front ends thereof lying in or slightly below said plane, the lower surface of said projections being nonparallel with the lower surface of the body portion.

4. A siding composed of a plurality of elements each comprising a body portion having a plurality of upwardly offset and downwardly inclined projections of brick-like form spaced apart along its lower edge, the lower surface of said projections being non-parallel with the lower surfacev 

